Shield for railway-cars



(No Model.)

s. 0. MASON & J. L. HANSON. Shield for Railway Cars. No. 234,416. Patented Nov. 16,1880.

N.PETERS, PHOTO-LITNDGRAPHgR, WASHING'ION. By C.

Uwrren STAPIES PATENT Price.

SETH O. MASON AND JOHN L. HANSON, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHIELD FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,416, dated November 16, 1880.

Application filed July 9, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SETH O. MASON and JOHNL. HANsoN, citizens of theUnited States, and both residents of. Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and improved mode of preventing the loss of life or accidents from steamrailway trains or horse-cars while in motion; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description.

The objects of our invention are, first, to provide a protection for passengers getting on or off from a train from falling on the track; second, for preventing persons in front of the engine from being run over third, to give notice to the engineer, by an alarm gong, of any obstruction being met in front of the engine by day or night.

Our invention consists of a continuous shield attached to steam-railway cars, engine, and tender, on both sides of the train, with two springwings in front, attached to the engine over the cow-catcher, said spring-wings being covered with rubber pillows and connected with an alarm-gong on the cab of the engine.

A fuller description is exhibited by reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of a car with the lifeprotecting shield. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, showing the shield up on the right and down on the left side 0t car. Fig. 3 indicates a view of the shieldguard or spring-wings attached to engine. Fig. 4 is a view, in detail, of method of connecting the shield to cars. Fig. 5 shows a modified construction of the spring-wings, showing it as cushioned.

Bis the inoldin g attached tocar-body, which receives the top of the shield when raised up; 0, brackets upon which the shield operates in raising or lowering it, as seen in Fig. 4; G, shield divided in the center, as adjusted to cars for convenience of raising part at a time, and when the cars are in motion to be two inches above the top of the rail on which the cars run, and, as shown in Fig. 4, are con structed of wire meshes, not less than two-bythree-inch spaces, about one-quarter inch diameter wire, and eighteen inches wide, length corresponding with length of car, inclosed in a border-rail, F, which incloses the wire-work (No model.)

of the shield and is thereto attached; G, shields under the ear-steps, so arranged as to receive an inner shield of a size sufficient to fill the space between .the steps where the cars are coupled together, thus making them continuous from car to car, and thereby preventing persons from falling on the rail while the cars are in motion; i, brace supporting the brackets by which the shields are sustained.

H represents the weights by which the shields are counterbalanced to assist in raising or lowering, said weights being attached L is the metal receptacle for the weights when the shield is lowered; M, the side wall for preventing the vibration of the weights by the motion of the cars.

A indicates the top of a cab attached to the engine N, perforated spring-wings, closed, as V appears, when train is running, adjusted to the engine about two feet above the rail, and eighteen inches wide, N showing one of the wings open, being sprung by removing an obstacle from the track; 0, hinges by which the spring-Whigs are hung to the forward end of the engine at each side, P, the spring to which the wings are attached, and which give the motive power to throw the wings open; Q, the

bar in the center, running between the wings 0 and attached to the engine.

The drawings represent the right wing as being longer than the other, when closed, and so operating as to remove a person in the center of the track from the rail.

S S are the hooks or latches hung at the end of the bar and attached to the wings, which, upon a pressure being made on the outside of the wings, are detached from the socket on the inside of the wing, thus allowing the spring to open the wings.

T is the socket 111 the wing to receive the hooks or latches which hold the wings together.

W are the cords or wires attached to the wings and running to the alarm-gong, said gong being immediately sounded when the wings are sprung open, giving the alarm to the engineer.

V indicates the holes in the wings, a suitable distance apart, to prevent atmospheric pressure from retarding the motion of train.

\V are the sockets attached at the center of the bar for the cord or wire to pass through from the win gs to the gong; X, spiral springs attached to the cord and hammer of the gong; X, alarm-gong; Y, gong-han'imers.

W'hat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. The combination, with a railway-ear, of the continuous shields and thelr attaching} mechanism, consisting of the guide-frames,

specified.

SETH C. MASON. JOHN L. HANSON. Vitnesses:

H. E. REMlGK, WM. H. MILLER. 

